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The Flevy Blog covers Business Strategies, Business Theories, & Business Stories.
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Editor's Note: Take a look at our featured best practice, Digital Transformation Strategy (145-slide PowerPoint presentation). Digital Transformation is being embraced by organizations across most industries, as the role of technology shifts from being a business enabler to a business driver. This has only been accelerated by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Thus, to remain competitive and outcompete in today's fast paced, [read more]
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There are many ways to increase productivity and employee satisfaction in the workplace. From the layout to the design to the office decorations to the company culture, all of these areas affect how employees feel and how they work. Here are just a few things to consider:
Researchers have concluded that adding plants to a workplace does wonders. One major benefit of plants is that they improve the air quality. This is important because 80 to 90 percent of workers in industrialized countries spend time indoors, and indoor air pollution is one of the biggest public health risks in the world, according to Science Daily.
Adding plants to the office doesn’t just improve the indoor environment but it also makes for better and brighter decor. Employees are less stressed with the presence of plants around them compared to employees in a plant-less environment, explains Plant Culture Inc. They also report that two-thirds of American workers cite gardening as a hobby on a Gallup poll, so it’s no wonder that plants help people relax at work because it reminds them of things they enjoy. And, according to a Unifi Network survey, this type of association can calm employees, bring their blood pressure down and give them better focus on daily work.
Even if your office is going for a more lean look, think twice about removing plants as they are proving to be just as vital to the office as paper supplies. Whether they’re home-grown plants brought into the office or flowers ordered online, including plants in an office’s decor is both aesthetically pleasing and important to work production.
Many Asian companies consult Feng Shui experts before deciding to move their office or buy new property, according to Blog Tyrant. They explain that you can’t balance your life or work if you operate in an unbalanced environment. For example, color can have a lot of impact on work production. With plants, the splash of green and various bright colors break up the monotony of plain-colored office walls, giving employees a better visual experience. Green desktops have proven to be easier on the eyes. Adding orange to the office can increase oxygen levels to employees’ brains, energizing and stimulating them. Finally, blue has proven to be able to calm employees and reduce their heart rates.
You wouldn’t think the office lounge area or break room would be a place where you can improve work production; however, businesses that provide a fun, interactive lounge area for their employees enjoy an increase in work production and creativity, states Trend Reports. While many employees are trapped in cubicles, facing a dull wall much of the work day, a lounge shouldn’t be the same. For example, Google’s Toronto office provides a mini-golf course, arcade, music studio and even a massage room for its employees. While many businesses may not be able to afford such luxuries, adding a ping pong table or a buffet of snacks can perk up employees and stimulate their minds for when they get back on their shift.
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These best practices are of the same as those leveraged by top-tier management consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and Accenture. Improve the growth and efficiency of your organization by utilizing these best practice frameworks, templates, and tools. Most were developed by seasoned executives and consultants with over 20+ years of experience.
